The Geekiest Easter Eggs

Isn't it strange that we rarely happen upon video game Easter eggs? Chocolate eggs, that is. I'd happily eat a video game branded egg - think of the marketing possibilities! You could have a Chocobo Egg, a Yoshi Egg or even an Elder Scrolls inspired Dragon Egg!

A quick search left me disappointed at the lack of video game branded eggs with an intense craving for chocolate...

This one doesn't count... it's tiny.

Eggs of the non chocolate variety however, are plentiful in the world of video games and here are some of the geekiest Easter eggs I've come across or heard about.

One of my favourite geeky references is a nod to Star Trek in the form of a pass code found in Fallout 3. If you head to the Nuka Cola Factory, you should come across the shipping foreman, his name is Milo. If you ask him about the manifest he will give you the code to the shipping computer; nc-c1864.

Recognise it?!

For any non-Trekkies let me explain, NCC-1864 is the number of the USS Reliant ship in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. But there's more...If you look at the timeline, the Reliant was built around the year 2277 which is also the year that Fallout 3 is set!

Another awesomely geeky Easter egg found in Fallout 3 is one for the film buffs to appreciate. The side quest 'Those!' is a direct reference to the cult B-movie film, Them! about giant fire breathing ants created accidentally after atomic bomb testing.

If you enjoy cross referencing in your games then give 2K's first BioShock game a play through. One of the objectives requires the gathering of bee enzymes as well as some other items. Once you've obtained the bee enzymes - or put crudely, the bee spit - you'll need to search for some water. Luckily there's a winery connected via an access path from the beehive room - how convenient! You will enter a room and in the far corner (on the left) there's a block of cheese on the floor (clearly Rapture's food hygiene standards have dropped since everyone got addicted to EVE!). However, this isn't just any block of cheese;

Waka, waka, waka... 

Yes, complete with bullet hole "dots", it's everyones favourite arcade game character, Pac-Man!

Comic creators love dropping subtle hints and including obscure references for their fans and comic book films often do the same. So it's no surprise that Rocksteady's Arkham Asylum would have a few nods to the Nolan-verse Batman. This little egg is less hidden and elusive than some of the others I've mentioned and I know a lot of people will disagree on whether this is an Easter egg at all - but screw those guys, I thought this was cool!

When you get to Arkham Mansion, one of the interview tapes opens up the bio for Scarecrow, listen carefully and you'll hear some of the Asylum staff panicking under the influence of fear gas. The names of the two doctors we hear freaking out are Dr. Murphy and Dr. Combs - a reference to Cillian Murphy who not only happens to be one of my favourite actors *swoon* but who also plays Scarecrow/Dr. Jonathan Crane in the Nolan-verse.

He's so beautiful... Dr Crane can test on me anytime!

Dr. Combs is a nod to Jeffrey Combs who voiced Scarecrow and Dr. Crane in the 2003 game Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu as well providing other voices in an extensive list of Bats projects including Batman: The Brave And The Bold. Whether or not you agree on the validity of this "Easter egg" you'd be hard pressed to find a fan of the Dark Knight franchise who wouldn't be a tiny bit animated upon discovering it! As we all know, in geek culture there is nothing more exciting than seeing/reading/watching the things we love cross-referencing. Well, that and making lists, working out algorithms to determine which character we'd be and knowing slightly more than our peers about whatever it is we're passionate about.

One of those things I'm passionate about is Portal, I love the game and relish anything related to it. In Alice: Madness Returns, there are several Easter eggs, many of which are related to the games developer Spicy Horse, however the team at Spicy Horse obviously have fantastic taste in games as one of the floating platforms in the Queensland chapter - you know the creepy level where everything looks all...fleshy? Well, one of the platforms in the castle looks suspiciously like a Weighted Companion Cube! A mere coincidence? Or well hidden Easter egg? Either way, a Companion Cube managed to escape Aperture Science and that makes me smile. Yay!


Some games revel in the humour of rewarding you with literal Easter eggs. In the Grand Theft Auto series it's become a running joke to find a chocolate egg in-game. The worst part is, in order to find these hallowed eggs you often have to go to extreme lengths for what is ultimately very little reward. Especially given that usually it's just a picture of an egg or worse still, in San Andreas there isn't even an egg just this rather amusing note:

There are no Easter Eggs up here. Go Away.

In Vice City however, the developers left us a chocolate egg on a plinth highlighting the literal pedestal the fans have placed this running joke on.

The egg reads: Happy Easter...

Maybe in GTA V we'll find a hidden code which we can give to chocolatier in return for a real chocolate egg?! *Hint, hint Rockstar!*

Wishful thinking aside, perhaps the most enviable gaming Easter egg of all time is the one dedicated to Zelda fan, Chris Houlihan. Before the release of A Link To The Past, the magazine Nintendo Power ran a competition in which the prize was the chance to own a room in the game.

However, it's rather difficult to get into his room. There is much debate over how to gain access to it (I've tried and failed!) however each method relies on having the Pegasus boots and gaining the correct amount of speed. Upon doing so you will be launched into Chris's room. Get the incorrect speed and well, you'll find yourself in another room\- just not the elusive Houlihan room. It's like being rejected entry into a super exclusive club because you're not cool enough (story of my life!).

Those with the blind luck to gauge the right speed will find themselves in a pretty standard room, in it are 45 blue rupees and a sign that reads:

My name is Chris Houlihan. This is my top secret room. Keep it between us, OK?

I am not jealous. I am not jealous. I am...who am I kidding? I am incredibly jealous of Chris - I know nothing about him except his namesake lives on forever in A Link To The Past. Damn you Houlihan! Damn youuuuu!

It's understandable why developers like to include homages, references and in-jokes in their work. I imagine it's a long, laborious process full of complicated codes and technological crap I literally have no idea about so adding the occasional Easter egg is a nice break from all that hard work and adds their individual touch to a game. I love it when developers plant jokes and references that entertain and it's especially exciting if you manage to come across one organically without being told about it.

After all, it's much cooler to find them yourself and you get to feel like you're included in that special secret club reserved for so few! But if you're intrigued or can't be bothered to search there are hundreds of websites dedicated to hunting eggs, lots of YouTube videos to guide you directly to them and walk-throughs aplenty.

With Easter fast approaching I hope you find more than chocolate eggs! And if any of you actually acquire a chocolate video game egg then please send me a picture of it...or you could just...well, send the egg to me? You know, for research...

Happy Easter egg hunting!

Video Game Weddings

I wrote this last month for Forces Of Geek. A combination of my own wedding planning and research coupled with the need to write something "romantic" as a follow up to my 'Gaming Valentine Woes' post.



After my last post about love and Valentine's Day, I started thinking about weddings and marriage (and if you assume this is because I'm female, know that you are a terrible, terrible person), it's a subject that has found it's way into many games. For instance, Skyrim, in which you can marry various NPCs whether you like women who demand you bring them a wealth of bear pelts or men that follow you around for money and *ahem* companionship you have the option to partake in marital life if you so choose.

Marriage also plays on my mind lately because I am getting married next year. I don't want a typical wedding because that's not a reflection of myself or my fiancé. I think this is because we've grown up with very different ideologies to our parents and have been exposed to a multitude of games, tv, film and pop culture. That and we're no longer governed by tradition or expectation.

Those of us born alongside or during the early years of video games are now at an age where all of a sudden, our friends and peers are getting married, and not just in a video game sense. In the last few years there have been a surge of video game themed weddings, whether it's a full on theme or just elements such as invites or cake, there is no doubt that gaming is so steeped in our culture, in our lives that it informs a lot of who we are and what we do in life including our big days. 

This is the best example of a full-on gaming theme I found in a Google Image search - but does Minecraft have the longevity of other games? Or will this couple regret their decision? Either way, it looks damn cool!

Search for 'video game weddings' and you'll see an array of Nintendo themed proposals, cakes, rings, invites and even costumes and this makes perfect sense due to the nostalgia they bring.

It's less common to come across weddings based upon contemporary titles, say Assassin's Creed. This is surprising as whilst at a convention last year there were a hell of a lot of them in the crowds, but then I guess Assassin's aren't known for being public, so who knows, maybe there have been thousands of Assassin's Creed themed weddings? They're just too damn stealthy.

Some of the best examples of video game wedding items I've seen are engraved or personalised wedding rings. Perfect for the couple that want to show their love of games in a more subtle way. To the outsider, the ring looks pretty and the engraved message is seen as a loving in-joke, but to the all knowing gamer, it means much more, giving you instant cool status and a ring which is completely original and the envy of other gamers. 

*WANT*

When it comes to your wedding, the cake is definitely not a lie. A wedding without cake may as well be called off. What better way to declare your love of cake and Portal than a Companion Cube? Even more perfect because of what it represents, unconditional, unfaltering love.

I love the addition of turret cake toppers, which is another way to inject a dose of video game symbolism into your wedding. Customisable characters are rife in video games so it makes sense to customise yourself by incorporating your image into your cake topper.

Completely customisable, this one is handcrafted by an Etsy seller

But all the above is still relatively "safe", every wedding planner strives to make theirs an original or inventive day but ultimately, weddings are pretty much the same. Married life in video game worlds varies greatly and this should be reflected in real life.

Costumes, cakes and naming tables after game characters are all variations on the same pre-existing traditional plans that all weddings have and that's just boooring.

We gamers are inventive types, creative souls and having been on the outskirts of what used to be called "normal" - before we all grew up and it inevitably became cool, of course - we are able to think differently. As such we should be aiming our laser sights and plasma grenades higher. It's not called your Big Day for nothing, so think bigger, damn it! 

What about wedding portraits of the couple in video game form (second thoughts, ignore that - that's my idea!) or arcade cabinets and video game booths - now that would be a wedding I'd be happy to attend!

Image: Ampersand Photography

Rather than dancing how about Nerf gun zombie LARPing? Or side scrolling assault courses? Or to really entertain your guests, Pokémon fighting!

Actually, now I think about it that one is impossible... and kinda cruel. 

Now this on the other hand is not cruel, this is amazing:

I wonder what class those rings are?

Weddings are not only meant to be an expression of devotion between two people but also an introduction or re-introduction to who these individuals are and an indication of who they'll be together.

As geeks and gamers, more and more of these elements will blossom and thrive over the years. I foresee many video game themed weddings, after all, 'the couple that games together, stays together' right?

So go forth and be married as gamers should, mix your two favourite games into a theme, play video game music down the aisle or have a band that only plays music from Rockband at your reception. Whatever you do, just make sure it's what you both want and that it ultimately makes you happy because it's your day and you can customise it however you like.

There are only a hand ful of things I wouldn't advise, namely dressing up as a Big Daddy and a Little Sister, that's just creepy and inappropriate.

Where Did All The Iconic Gaming Characters Go?

This was my first post of 2013 for Forces Of Geek, I'm sure over the years I'll find more characters to add to this "list" so I intend add to it/amend it at least once a year. If you have any suggestions please add your thoughts/comments at the end!


It's a new year and as such, I've been spending my time reflecting on the past but not in the obligatory end of year list way as one might think. The basis of this week's musing comes from a realisation I had about iconic and memorable contemporary video game characters... namely, where the hell are they?!

One could argue that the reason it's so difficult to call to mind characters of this nature is that a lot of post 2000 titles assume that gamers want total immersion and as such the player becomes the protagonist.

This is fantastic if you enjoy customising your appearance or really living the story but this has left a brightly coloured, cartoonish and possibly anthropomorphic hedgehog shaped gap in the gaming industry.

Remember all of those epic characters from our childhoods? Pacman, Sonic, Mario, Link. I'd like to see someone today try to sell a game about two plumbers who have to continually save a princess from a dragon/turtle/thing. Not to mention the fact that they eat mushrooms to grow, which is odd considering they have a friend who is essentially a talking toadstool. Or what about Sonic? Sega's heroic blue hedgehog is just as bizarre. Perhaps the last truly big icon from my own youth was Lara Croft - PlayStation dominated the CD based video game market and their wasp-figured heroine became their poster girl.

Calling All FANgirls!

On the interwebs right now is a new comic from the mind grapes of Sara Westrop (Writer of Sexton Blake, Penny Black and Editor of indie publisher, Markosia) and featuring art work from J. L. Straw (Young Sherlock Holmes Adventures, Dark Mists 2) - be sure to check out their previous work because it is awesome!

FANgirls is based on Sara's real life experiences as a... well, fangirl and is a refreshing take on existing geek based web comics, most notably because it features female protagonists. Couple that with the fact it's created by ladies and you have a comic rife with references to all things geek which playfully pokes fun at fandom - all through the eyes of humans with double X chromosomes. Huzzah!

If Sara's influences are anything to go by, future instalments of FANgirls will continue to be current, entertaining and insightful. I asked her what her favourite things to geek out to are and she replied with "shows like Buffy, Supernatural, Red Dwarf and Spaced" and her favourite comic character is Molly Medea from Starstruck because (and I quote) "she kicks ass!!" - if that's not a reason to get behind FANgirls then maybe I should tell you that FANgirls also features an accompanying blog, covering a multitude of topics such as cosplay, indie comics, games,interviews with comic creators and much more.

Sara was kind enough to let me share with you, one of the first comics:

And if you want a sneaky hint of what's to come, having recently enjoyed Arrow, Sara also told me to expect some topless monkey bar action very soon - sounds pretty good to me! *swoon*

Having worked in the comics industry for the last three years, it's not surprising that Sara and Jane also have new projects in the pipeline, including upcoming books with Markosia and several other projects which I'm told are super secret! Until then, you can get your regular geek-based comic fix via FANgirls.

And if you love it - which let's face it, you probably will - very soon there will be plenty of ways to show your support in the form of prints and t-shirts. That's not all,  because you'll also have the opportunity to be drawn up as a FANgirl!

But Emma-Jane I hear you ask, "where do I find this hallowed geek girl web comic"?

Well, my fellow geekadeers, here's the link: http://www.fangirlscomic.co.uk

Hope you enjoy it!

And as an extra treat (courtesy of the FANgirls themselves) please enjoy this picture of Sara as a fat Psylocke.

Gaming Valentine Woes 2013

This is a post I originally wrote for my column on Forces Of Geek on Thursday 7th February. I decided after the success of last year's agony aunt post that I'd do another. It was so fun to write and I'm definitely making this an annual feature! Many thanks to my friend Helen who gave me the idea last year when I was suffering from a massive writer's block!



It's almost Valentine's Day and you know what that means! No, no... not yet another chance to get that Calendar Man Achievement from Batman: Arkham City (though, it is!). Valentine's Day means I get to play Agony Aunt for the second year running, where I offer love and relationship advice to characters of the gaming world.

This year it's Dr. Robotnik, Mr. and Ms. Pac-Man, Companion Cube and Big Daddy's turn to be counselled by yours truly, so cast aside your controllers and replace them with a single red rose because this Valentine's Day, we're getting romantic.

Dear Dr. Robotnik,

I am writing to offer up some friendly advice regarding the nature of your relationship to those furry "friends" of yours. Firstly, in most parts of the world bestiality is frowned upon, I understand that there is a well known idea surrounding the notion of love, namely you can't choose who you fall in love with but in actuality... you can choose, and deciding to love another species is just plain wrong. I'm sorry but someone needs to tell you before you continually get hurt.

Secondly, I am worried that your love of animals is perhaps unrequited. I mean, what does it tell you if other animals, namely Sonic and co. constantly strive to set them free from you? You can't force someone to love you, it doesn't work that way.

While I appreciate that you were a Pokémon Master before it was cool, capturing animals and keeping them locked up against their will is not a particularly loving action. The view that if you can't have them, no one can is not cool. At least Pokémon trainers treat their captives with respect and love, they know that these beasts aren't theirs to own.. most of the time.

I think you have some issues to work out, you seem to do things the wrong way round and you need to address this before you embark on a relationship with others. Take your name for example, your real name that is. You are Dr. Kintobor at heart. Try to channel the platonic love you felt for animals before your accident. You can be that person again and if you ever want to be loved again, you'll heed my advice.

Dearest Companion Cube,

I come to you with no love advice, rather I want to commend you for your unconditional love. You are loyal, loving and dependable but this only makes me worry about you. If you're too needy or fall in love too quickly, you are at risk of being hurt.

All those inevitable betrayals from potential flames who were seduced away with false promises of cake by that heartless A.I., GLaDOS. All this heartache, what is it for? You deserve to find someone who cares, who won't let you down or sit back and allow your heart to be incinerated.

It's about give and take and all you do is give, give, give while all others do is take. You can get out of this cycle, you can break free and leave! Aperture Science is not a suitable place to continue looking for a soulmate, it's not where you will find true love. As a questionable wise man once said, "If life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade", you could make a combustible lemon and use it to escape instead!

Although, I hear the outside world is now rife with zombies...and head-crabs.

Your call, Cubey.

Dear Mr and Ms. Pac-Man,

First let me congratulate you on 31 years of marriage. I'm surprised that after that many years you're only now having marital problems. Perhaps you are too used to one another's company, 31 years is a long time after all, because it sounds like you take each other for granted.

It seems the very thing that brought you together is tearing you apart. Your shared love of food was positive at first, a shared passion can create a harmonious relationship but only if you communicate. The occasional "Waka, Waka, Waka" between you is fine but a good relationship requires more stimulating conversation.

Pac-Man, you need to be more supportive of your wife and Ms. Pac-Man, you need to start compromising, I mean why are you so afraid of being a Mrs? Why adopt the Ms title instead? That looks highly suspicious now, doesn't it?

You two have multiple issues so I recommend marriage counselling but in the meantime, both of you should try to get out more together because all those years of binge eating are starting to take their toll. Think of your children! Plus, going to the gym together and sharing that experience might remind you of the early days of your relationship, replacing that shared love of food thus repairing your marriage.

Dear Big Daddy,

You are a wonderful father figure to your Little Sister. Supportive, caring and protective and you'd gladly give your life for her. Also, your D.I.Y. and cleaning skills are second to none. Any prospective partner would be lucky to have you and your way with children is something viewed as a bonus to most women.

I just worry that the Little Sister's might benefit from having a motherly figure in their life as well. Perhaps you ought to start spending some more time with the women of Rapture? Maybe take one of them out for dinner or to one of those fancy masked balls.

Oh and before you start thinking about Bridgette Tenenbaum, I know she absolutely loves children and shares your passion for the Little Sisters but she's just not into you. Sorry big boy.

Still, there are plenty of other fish in the sea, right? (Please forgive my terrible joke).  

I hope my advice has reached these characters well and that they all have a wonderful romantic future ahead of them, especially my dear Companion Cube. You will always be in my heart..wait, is that cake?

Until next year, have a great February 14th, whether you are spending it with a loved one or hanging around outside the house of someone who just keeps ignoring you. Seriously though, stay away from my house.


Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

Emma-Jane

The Legend Of Zelda: Hyrule Historia - A Review

I love this cover

Just over 25 years ago a gaming franchise began that changed my life and while that may sound melodramatic, I assure you it isn't. The Legend of Zelda helped me through a childhood of isolation and bullying. I found strength in the Triforce and the words 'courage', 'wisdom' and 'power' became my mantra throughout my teenage years. In fact, my very first post for Forces Of Geek was all about that.

So it's no surprise that I shrieked with joy upon hearing about the Legend Of Zelda: Hyrule Historia and I was equally excited to be given a chance to review it. I vaguely knew that Nintendo had released such a book in Japan but was unaware of plans for a wider distribution and translation by Dark Horse.

Needless to say, I was over the moon to learn of its impending release and even more excited when pre-order sales for the book knocked 50 Shades of Grey off of Amazon's #1 spot (If that's not a sign that the geek will inherit the Earth than I don't know what is!).

For those of you who were lucky or quick enough, there were only 4000 limited edition books up for grabs, I imagine getting your hands on one now will cost you an organ or two and a hell of a lot of bidding on eBay.

A Marvel Lego Game?! Hell Yes!

Let's take a moment to breathe shall we... *deep breath*

Okay. Go!

Oh my freaking God, this news has me excited, talk about geekgasm! At first, I thought a friend of mine on Twitter was talking about Lego figures and I chimed in happily to explain how I thought they were awesome and that I'd received a rather cool Captain America Lego set for Christmas. But then... The penny dropped.

Oh.. Oh... Ohhhhhhhh! As soon as it clicked, I was all over Google and looking up a release date. The best news is we only have to wait until Autumn this year, which is conveniently when my birthday is by the way *hint, hint, nudge, nudge*

Admittedly, I'm not usually this hyper about Lego games. But a Marvel Lego game is a different thing entirely. I'm already anticipating the Deadpool game (despite my fears, that it's going to be awful) but because Lego are behind it, I know that Lego Marvel Super Heroes will be amazing. The Lego franchise know what fans like and do their best to add cool hidden extras and nods to the rest of the universe.

I wonder if we'll see a Lego Stan Lee cameo?